Archive of Our Own

Minseok wheels his suitcase behind him, his backpack over his shoulders through the terminal until he reaches his gate. It’s busy, as Minseok expected for a mid-morning international flight. The sun is beaming through the large windows allowing additional heat to envelop him. His head phones are playing a playlist he curated specifically for this trip and everything is fine. It’s been a while since he last went on a trip, and his usual pre-flight jitters are making him move at an even quicker pace to get to his gate.

Once he makes it he relaxes, and with plenty of time to spare, so he sends off of a few messages. The first one to his mother, to let her know everything is fine and safe. Another to Kyungsoo:

it’s crowded

He only needs to wait for a minute before there’s a soft vibration with a response.

It’s mid-morning what were you expecting

it’s exactly what i expected but doesn't mean i’m less anxious lol

Are you still feeling it? Kyungsoo asks, Is it just as strong?

Minseok presses his free hand into his stomach. It aches.

A dull pull that’s been bothering him for the past week, since it arrived the morning of his thirtieth birthday. But now isn’t the time to investigate. It is super inconvenient though, to feel the pull only a few days before a trip he booked months ago.

In truth, it felt stronger. But that wasn’t something to dwell on or bring up, it could be dealt with in a week.

it’s more or less the same, Minseok figures a small white lie won’t hurt. Knows it shouldn't. It’s uncomfortable, but you don’t die from ignoring your soulmate pull. And ignoring it as a finite solution is inevitable as well.

He’s not ignoring his pull, he really isn’t. It’s just that he booked this trip to Japan months ago and he’s not canceling it all because of a potential soulmate. If they’re his soulmate they’ll understand, surely.

Though the question of why they haven’t come to find him lingers in the back of his mind; are they nervous? Are they waiting for him to make the first move, or are they not able to physically look? Maybe they’re in a similar situation as he is; they simply have things going on that are higher on the ‘to-do’ list. Maybe they don’t want to meet Minseok at all, and they find the whole idea of soulmates far-fetched and outdated.

don't let it get to be too much is Kyungsoo's response. Minseok decides to ignore that change the subject.

have you made your own decision about the pup? Minseok diverts and asks. Kyungsoo’s boyfriend/soulmate/roommate Chanyeol, who he’s been with for years, has been asking for a puppy to help him with his day and keeping a routine and schedule.

we’re going for a meet and greet soon

That’s good, Minseok is happy for them and happy for Chanyeol who’s been begging Kyungsoo for a pet for months.

Time passes fast enough and when the plane is at a cruising altitude Minseok can no longer blame the ache in his stomach exclusively on nerves. He stews with the uncomfortable realization that his soul pull is going to continue to be the main cause for these stomach pains.

With nothing else to ruminate on Minseok’s thoughts wander back to his soulmate. Minseok’s attitude of soulmates has always been… indifferent. It’s what everyone else’s ideas of what having a soulmate was supposed to be that causes him to step back. The idea there’s only one person made for you... it felt small minded and limiting.

He thinks back on who is on the other end of the pull and realizes the answer is still the same: his soulmate doesn’t define who Minseok is or what he becomes.

He busies himself with in-flight movies and fiddles around with the wires on his headphones, loops them around and around his finger. A four hour plane ride and back on the ground Minseok is dismayed to find his stomach hasn’t gotten any better. The line through customs is long and the room is humid. Minseok is uncomfortable and becoming irritable. His saving grace; not having to wait for any checked luggage.

It’s when he’s standing near one of the doors on the train, backpack resting on top of his suitcase as he takes deep breaths that the sensation in his stomach, the hot coil burning in him, slowly lessens to a simmer. Something much more manageable, easier to ignore. Easier to blame on being hungry.

Minseok maneuvers through the rest of his travel day uncomfortable while trying his best to ignore the ache in his stomach. What immediate thing can he do right now anyway, in a different country?

When he arrives at his hostel he leaves his shoes in the cubby in the entryway. A repurposed genkan of sorts, and walks in his socks to his single room locked by a keypad. It’s filled with a single twin bed, a window, and an aircon in the upper corner. It’s small and a little cramped, but there’s a cheap full length mirror on one wall and a towel hung next to it. He doesn’t need more than that.

The first thing he does is wrap his sweatshirt around his face and collapse on the bed. Exploring can wait. It’s still early afternoon and he has time languish and also make it to at least one of the nearby temples or shrines before he’s surrounded by Kyoto nightlife.

He came at the perfect time of year, beginning of April, warm during the day with a crispness when the sun goes down. The cherry blossoms are in full bloom and there's an abundance of street vendors in the parks. He brought his temple book to get more goshuin. He has a lot stamps from a previous trip to Tokyo, but he's been hoping to fill it completely on the one side.

He tries to relax and continues to rehydrate and decompress for an hour before he’s too hungry, convinced the ache in his gut is hunger, not the pull.

He lets out a deep breath, not completely ready to start moving again, but the thought of a bowl of ramen is enough to spur him onward. He’s lucky that there’s an Ichiran only a short walk away according to his phone.

It’s early enough in the afternoon that he thinks he’ll be able to get in without waiting more than ten minutes, the line of people ahead of him short. Perfect.

Traveling alone for Minseok has always been something he cherishes. And each time he’s able to take a trip he’s thankful for being able (mind and body) to experience the things he does. And picking a hostel next to Maruyama Park during cherry blossom season was one of his smarter ideas.

He fills up on his bowl, ordering extra noodles and another egg while he’s at it. It’s delicious and comforting and filling. And finally the jab in his stomach has receded enough for him to almost forget it was there in the first place.

Even with the setting sun it’s crowded and busy at Yasaka Shrine. But it glows, illuminated and beautiful, guarded by the two carved lion dogs. He watches a small child make an offering, tossing their ¥5 coin and guided by their parent to pull the ropes and ring the bell before bowing in a small prayer.

He leisurely walks through the park, taking a plethora of photos of night time cherry blossoms, of the lanterns lighting the area. He sends one to Kyungsoo, who merely replies with a thumbs up emoji. Where Minseok would get his goshuin stamp is closed, but it’s so close to where he’s lodging, and so pretty, that coming back is something he looks forward to.

Minseok, tired and more than willing to head in early, checks the maps on his phone to find the closest place, a Lawsons, to stock up on snacks while he’s here for the next few days. What is undeniably the pull is back, aching the same as it did before, but he doesn’t know where it wants to take him. It’s like a cramp in his side, stinging and a complete inconvenience.

He grabs a juice, a bag of sour cream and onion chips, and one of those grape flavored gummies. He makes brief eye contact with the cashier as he puts down a few coins in the tray and waits for his change. There’s the tingle in his stomach, another pull, and Minseok wants to leave, lay down and pray it goes away.

Minseok wonders how much of a setback this is going to end up being.

With the automatic doors sliding open Minseok heads back into the night, and moves back in the direction of his hostel. He debates if he wants to workout, do some sit-ups and pushups to alleviate some of the twinges of the pull. Or at least blame the ache because of using his muscles instead of a soul pull.

He checks his phone as he rounds the corner, making sure he’s heading in the right direction when he collides into someone.

“Excuse me,” Minseok automatically replies, in his best Japanese. It’s small bump, and no one falls onto the ground.

He catches their eye to apologize again and that’s when the ground beneath him caves in on itself.

Minseok abruptly feels as if he’s floating, as if gravity doesn’t exist and everything is weightless, spinning and spinning. The sensation lingers and, to Minseok, stretches time itself. It can only last for a moment before he plummets down, dizzy and disoriented. And he feels it when he loses his balance and almost topples over, head fuzzy and lights exploding, but a tight grip catches him on his bicep and steadies him.

“Oh!” they exclaim, easing Minseok back upright, but they don’t let go. They’re handsome, with a sharp jawline and a smile brighter than the sun and Minseok can’t help but stare because… well they’re soulmates, aren’t they? Minseok knows, there’s no questioning it. An instinctual realization while everything clicks and falls into place.

Minseok was not expecting this.

“What’s your name?” the man asks in Japanese. His soulmate. This man is Minseok’s soulmate and Minseok is lucky he’s even able to understand enough Japanese to answer his question.

“Minseok,” he replies, and Minseok’s eyes zoom across every feature possible.

“Min… oh!” and to Minseok's surprise he switches to Korean. “Are you Korean?”

Relief floods Minseok and crashes in waves. His Japanese is pretty poor, and navigating introductions for a soul bond with someone on top of a language barrier is something Minseok was not prepared for. He isn’t prepared for this regardless, with his soulmate speaking Korean. But there’s a little more reassurance, even if it’s selfish, that he has now.

“I am, I’m on vacation,” and he’s still so… surprised. That he ran into his soulmate outside a Lawsons, let alone that he ran into them in another country. The absurdity of it all. God, what’s Kyungsoo going to say about that.

“Me too,” he replies with a grin, “on both counts.” He looks comfortable in an oversized sweatshirt and baseball cap; dark hair peeking out on the sides. Cozy. “Do you have a moment?”

He gestures back towards where Yasaka Shrine is, and with his snacks and no one waiting for him back at his hostel, Minseok’s instinct is to say yes, to go with him. He suddenly feels better than he has in days, the pull bringing him to where it wanted him to go. Minseok is tired, but he can’t deny his curiosity. So he nods and agrees.

“I’m Jongdae, by the way,” and they fall into step together, Minseok with his bag of snacks and Jongdae with his oversized clothes. Minseok’s embarrassed and mentally curses himself at how attractive Jongdae is. A genuinely gorgeous person.

“We’re soulmates,” Minseok says, like the realization just hit. Jongdae laughs, and it’s a loud and abrasive sound.

“I can’t believe we met in another country. It’ll make for a good story," Jongdae replies. "Were you also ignoring it for the sake of your vacation?”

Minseok nods, but it’s been dark out and they’re both walking. Words. “I was… I wasn’t planning on … figuring everything out until I was back in Korea.” Jongdae hums, but Minseok can’t tell if it’s in pensive thought or possibly agreement. “Sorry,” Minseok adds on, “for trying to postpone it.”

“Nah,” Jongdae waves him off, “I don’t blame you either. I mean, we’re on vacation too so I get it.”

“Ah, are they waiting for you? Who are you vacationing with?” Minseok asks.

Jongdae slows his pace and Minseok follows his lead, he stops walking just as they’re about to walk up the steps to the shrine, “I went for a quick walk to maybe calm the pull down. Thought about going to Lawsons. Do you want to sit?” Minseok follows his lead and sits on the steps next to Jongdae. He stares at the street, city lights aglow and cars moving with the traffic. There’s a tonal shift, and Minseok can sense the bombshell Jongdae is about to drop on him.

“Who are you here with?” Minseok asks again, curious, and not accusatory at all because who is Minseok to judge? “Are you already dating someone?” Minseok asks, the likeliest solution in his mind. “That doesn’t bother me.”

Jongdae’s brows tilt up in disbelief, and maybe a dash of humor. “Shouldn’t it? That I’m here with my boyfriend?” Jongdae replies in mischievous disbelief, confirming Minseok’s suspicion. And Minseok feels the words get jammed from brain to mouth.

“I— I didn’t mean like I didn’t care about your relationship! I’m not that— I wasn’t suggesting I’m okay with that...” He drops his gaze and turns his head away. It’s easier to explain things like this when he doesn’t have to make eye contact with someone who is still a stranger to him. “I’m willing to make our bond work for everyone. I don’t want to ruin anything you already have.”

Minseok’s never believed in the concept that all soulmate relationships have to inherently be romantic. He’s read about people who’s soulmates are a family member, or their best friend. If being friends is what Jongdae is supposed to be for Minseok… he can work with that.

Jongdae hums in thought, and Minseok sees the glow of the street lamps light his face with a low glow. “I’m sure we can all work something out… we’ve been wondering when we’d find you.”

Minseok’s heart slams into his chest at how sure Jongdae sounds, the conviction. Minseok can’t say he’s as sure as Jongdae.

Unsure and apprehensive, Minseok needs to ask more questions, namely, “How— does your boyfriend know about this— about me?”

“Of course he does,” Jongdae replies, with a tone that suggests why would Minseok even need to ask. But of course Minseok needs to ask.

“It’s not like… well, bonds work in interesting ways, right?” Minseok shrugs his shoulders in agreement. “So, nothing is set yet.”

Minseok turns his head and Jongdae, eyes blazing under the brim of his hat, is staring back at him with such vigor and determination. Minseok’s stomach is still in knots, though it’s now out of nerves and not the pull. It’s not that he’s rejected the idea, the concept, it’s just…

“Will you meet with us, both of us,” he clarifies, “tomorrow? We we’re going to go on a hike since the weather will be nice, but if that’s not something—”

“I can do that,” Minseok cuts him off, and even through his trepidation he’s still eager to give this a chance. If Jongdae is wants him to meet his boyfriend... Minseok can try.

He debates on sending a message out to Kyungsoo when he returns to his room but the ache in his chest from meeting Jongdae hasn't gone away quite yet. There’s an unread message from Jongdae, when they had exchanged their information. All it said was the time and location he and his boyfriend were planning on hiking. He neglected to ask what his boyfriends name was, and now it felt like the timing was off. He’ll wait. He’ll meet him in the morning.

Minseok wakes early, the sun barely risen, and only has a moment's respite before he remembers the how he plowed into Jongdae outside Lawsons. All intuition and instinct and the feelings of sureness from last night are gone, leaving Minseok a bundle of raw and wiry energy. The anxiety barrels its way into Minseok and courses through him as his heart hammers away. Each bitter beat as if to say, you can’t really escape this, you know.

No, he can’t. And they’re fated to be compatible but they’re also able to choose their own fate. And he’s not rejecting the idea of meeting Jongdae and his boyfriend. Maybe things will fall into place, and Minseok will stop thinking about the shape of Jongdae’s mouth with guilt. He’d prefer to stop thinking about that at all, be damned if he’s the reason Jongdae and his boyfriend end their relationship. But then Minseok remembers what Jongdae had said, just a blip in their conversation, but something Minseok has been ruminating on since.

We’ve been wondering when we’d find you...

Minseok can’t figure out if he should find it hopeful or ominous. He also grasps onto the thought that they’re only interested in propositioning him and that… hurts more than he expects. He doesn’t think of bonds as sacred or anything else outdated and conservative, but something sits wrong with him with that scenario. He banishes the thought from his mind, but the thought circles around and around in his brain to the extent that he pinches himself to refocus. It works, but barely.

It’s beautiful outside. The sun beams through the clouds, and the light breeze makes the warmth from the sun feel not so overbearing.

Later, when it’s early afternoon, he arrives to the base of the trail where Jongdae told him they’d be and he feels himself being drawn to where he thinks he sees Jongdae. It must be Jongdae, it looks like him from here, and Minseok couldn’t explain how he knows except that he does and that he’s compelled to move towards him. And next to him is a man of similar height, but drowned in slightly oversized clothes. Through the noise of the city and crowd he can hear a too-loud whine from Jongdae, and he gives a teasing punch to his boyfriends chest in exasperation.

Minseok notices his hair is dark, long enough that it parts down the middle and frames face at his temples in such a complimentary way. Neither of them have noticed Minseok’s arrival, but Jongdae’s boyfriend pouts and rubs a hand across his stomach, which wasn’t even where Jongdae hit him.

Minseok lowers his head and moves forward. There’s a lurch in his gut, like yesterday when he originally ran into Jongdae. No one told Minseok that the pull doesn’t automatically go away and that there could be lingering remnants that would drag him to Jongdae again and again. It’s a weird sensation, that’s for sure, but not as uncomfortable as his past week had been, more than double the pain he’s experiencing now.

“Minseok!” Jongdae calls to him, and Minseok raises his head and gives a tight closed mouth smile to Jongdae in greeting, who doesn’t seem as if he’s plagued with the dull pain of a lingering pull like Minseok. Jongdae gestures to his boyfriend, “This is Junmyeon.”

Minseok moves his gaze to Jongdae’s boyfriend, to Junmyeon, and the first thing Minseok notices about him is that his lips are chapped.

Minseok stands still, but the Earth’s axis tilts again and again and again.

If meeting Jongdae felt weightless and dizzying, then meeting Junmyeon is grounding. With Jongdae he felt as if he were floating, hardly able to grasp onto the ground and earth and losing his balance. With Junmyeon he feels a stabilizing force holding him in place. It’s a magnetic pull rooting him to the earth, as if he can feel the roots sinking into the ground and meeting Junmyeon’s underneath.

How terrifying.

“What the fuck?” Minseok whispers, a mixture of horror and bewilderment. He’s holding Junmyeon’s gaze and his small mouth with chapped lips pouts back at him.

He has not one, but two soulmates.

“Minseok?” Junmyeon whispers, and even his voice is trying to ground him.

Two. Two soulmates?

“Minseok?” This time it’s Jongdae, and from the corner of his eye Minseok sees Jongdae raise an arm as if to reach out to Minseok, grip him to reality, but Junmyeon flies his hand out and pulls Jongdae’s hand down and away.

Minseok is grateful, he feels as if he’s a live wire and any touch will zap him and anyone who tries to make contact. He’s vibrating with energy and he doesn’t know how to get rid of it, how to let it out gently and calmly.

“Maybe we should postpone the hike and talk this out,” Junmyeon decides for them all. He focuses his gaze on Minseok who has just been staring at a spot on the ground while trying to figure out how this is happening. “I thought you said he knew?”

“I thought he did! I told him we were together.”

For the first time since he felt the pull Minseok notices the ache is gone, replaced with a warm sensation; as if he is satisfyingly full. But he’s a tornado of thoughts spewing without rhyme or reason. Two soulmates. Two different soulmates who are already dating… are they also bonded?

Minseok follows Jongdae and Junmyeon to a vacated seating area outside the trail, closer to the entrance of Ginkaku-ji. Minseok hasn’t gone to visit yet, and he watches the groups of people walk through the entrance. He feels like he should say something, maybe apologize for how he freaked out.

But Jongdae speaks before he can. “I didn’t realize you didn’t know,” he says. “I probably should have. How would you know you had two soul bonds… God, it’s obvious now.”

“You said you mentioned me, though?” Junmyeon interjects, talking to Jongdae directly.

“I said I had a boyfriend and we were excited to meet him… I don’t think I ever really said you also had a pull—”

“I thought you were soliciting me,” Minseok cuts him off and spurts out, he doesn’t mean to, it simply happens. He looks up and over to see Jongdae mouth open in mortified shock. There’s a giggle and Minseok is embarrassed that it’s Junmyeon; straight and tiny teeth hidden behind his small hands while he shamelessly giggles.

“Hyung,” Jongdae whines and smacks Junmyeon, “It’s not funny.” He turns his attention to Minseok, “I can’t believe I made you think that… that’s… not true.”

“Not entirely.” Junmyeon wistfully sighs, and Minseok can’t believe someone like this is one of his soulmates. He shouldn’t feel so exasperated with him, should he?

“Inappropriate,” Jongdae admonishes.

There’s an uncomfortable pause, and Junmyeon speaks up. “We’re together, but we’re also bonded. We’ve been bonded for three years but we’ve know each other for much longer.”

“So now we’re all bonded,” Jongdae continues, “all three of us.”

Minseok is dizzy with the truth of that.

Minseok doesn’t feel like hiking anymore, a little too overwhelmed. A little too much for one afternoon. He awkwardly excuses himself and promises with a shallow smile to stay in touch and get dinner tomorrow. It feels like he’s running away. He can’t tell if Jongdae’s pout is from disappointment or displeasure, but Junmyeon grabs him by the wrist and leads them away to start their hike.

So instead Minseok follows the crowds in the opposite direction of the trail entrance, passes by shops and stores and ice cream vendors and decides to splurge. There’s a middle-aged man dolloping soft serve of multiple colors and flavor varieties. Minseok waits his turn and points out the flavor he’d like; a tri-colored soft serve in the pink, white, and green. Cherry, vanilla, and matcha flavored and mimicking the look of dango.

It’s pretty, and the sweetness of the cherry mixed with the bitter matcha ice cream is the perfect combination for Minseok. He walks along the Philosopher’s Path, takes photos of the cherry blossoms and watches the petals fall with the breeze that rustles through the branches and limbs.

He feels like he’s part of a shojou manga. He's the one playing the role of the indecisive protagonist who was confessed to and now has to make a decision.

Decisions. Indecisions. Minseok never asked for a soulmate, never longed for one. He was pretty much settled on not having that aspect of life fulfilled. But now he has not one, but two soulmates. Two beautiful soulmates who have been bonded to each other and known each other for years.

Minseok wonders how he's supposed to fit into all this.

He’s grateful for the international data he bought, grateful that he can make this call, and it only rings a few times before Kyungsoo’s voice picks up on the other end.

“Hello?”

“It happened,” Minseok blurts before he can even say hello back. He moves to the side of the path, letting people walk past him while he finds and sits on a vacant stone bench.

“It happened,” Kyungsoo repeats, deadpanned, questioning.

“Would you believe me if I said I found my soulmates in Japan?” he hesitates on using the plural, but it’s too late now. There’s a steady pause of silence, and Minseok isn’t going to speak first. He can hear the shuffle of background noise, and then a small cough from Kyungsoo.

“Soul… mates?” Kyungsoo repeats. “More than one?”

“Sounds ridiculous, right?” Minseok tries to joke, but even he can tell it falls flat.

Kyungsoo agrees with him though, “A bit.”

Minseok sighs and explains the events of the past day: running into Jongdae and realizing they were soulmates, finding out Jongdae was already dating someone and that they were on vacation together. He explains the comment Jongdae made about how they were looking forward to meeting him, meeting Junmyeon and realizing they had a bond as well. That all three of them are bonded together.

“I’m not… really sure what I should be doing.” Minseok confesses, a whisper of hopeless dejection. “Like I’m barging in on something uninvited.”

“One of them saying ‘we’ve been wondering when we’d find you’ doesn’t sound like they were planning on fulfilling the pull and then abandoning you.”

Minseok shuffles in his seat, watches a couple walk past him. He’s playing with the paper wrapper that was on the cone he finished eating. “I guess,” he says, “I just never thought it would… that this would happen. Two soulmates?” He rips the paper in half before pocketing it completely.

“I don’t know, Minseok,” And he can hear Kyungsoo's sigh on the other end of the line. “You’re overwhelmed but… you know you don’t have to be with whoever you’re bonded to, it’s just a launching point. Maybe you should see what it could be before you close yourself off entirely.”

“I wasn’t planning on ignoring them and disappearing,” Minseok defends.

“I didn’t say that, but that’s not the same as closing yourself off either. Listen, I’m outside the shelter with Chanyeol—”

“Wait, you’re doing it? You’re adopting the puppy?”

“Yes, Chanyeol’s inside waiting. But keep me updated.”

“Thanks Kyungsoo.”

They say their goodbyes and hang up. Minseok stews in his thoughts a little longer while watching petals fall into the water between the paths. It’s not hard. It shouldn’t be so hard, Minseok thinks, to be honest with himself and with Jongdae and with Junmyeon. He isn’t sure what he wants to come of being bonded with them, but he is sure he wants something. Wants to try. Want to figure out where to go next.

A heat blooms in his stomach and like a sixth sense Minseok looks up to see Jongdae crouched close to the ground. He's snapping an angled photo of Junmyeon, cherry blossoms behind him. Jongdae smiles but to Minseok is looks as if it's lacking, there's sincerity missing from it. In Junmyeon's hand is the same ice cream Minseok ate earlier to help create the perfect portrait.

Minseok lets his feet guide him off the stone bench, legs and back stiff from his rigid posture, and glides to his soulmates. “Would you like me to take a picture of you together?” he asks, surprising them both. Junmyeon’s averted gaze locks onto his and out of his peripheral he sees Jongdae rise from his crouched position. Minseok looks to Jongdae who beams, and his smile is so bright, so full and no longer lacking. Minseok can’t imagine wanting to hurt him, wouldn’t want to ever intentionally disappoint him.

They’re getting dinner at a highly-rated gyoza place near Sanjo station, close to the river. Jongdae and Junmyeon sit with their backs to the wall and Minseok across the table. The wrapper of their gyoza is thin and delicate, and he didn’t realize how hungry he actually was, popping dumpling after dumpling into his mouth.

“What made you want to vacation in Japan?” Jongdae asks. They've been making small talk, slowly learning the most basic of basics about each other.

“I’ve been before, but I’ve always wanted to come back,” Minseok replies. He wonders how honest he should be, and decides to go for it. “I came to celebrate my birthday.”

Junmyeon chokes a little on his drink. “Wrong pipe,” he whispers while Jongdae rubs his back soothingly without looking away from Minseok. It’s cute, if a little jarring how well Jongdae is able to keep focus.

“When's your birthday?” Jongdae asks.

“It passed, March twenty-sixth.”

“It passed,” Junmyeon repeats, in a false and poor imitation of what Minseok assumes is his own voice. “That was less than a week ago...” and Minseok is surprised there’s a hint of sadness in there. Why Junmyeon seems upset about missing a birthday of someone he didn’t even know, and suddenly he makes the realization. “That was when the pull showed up! You spent your birthday with a new— a pull—”

“It’s fine,” Minseok waves off, “What were you going to do? What was I supposed to do?”

“But we were thinking of you and didn’t even know to wish you a happy birthday.”

“You were thinking of me?” Minseok asks in wonderment. Jongdae is pouting too, and Minseok doesn’t know what he’s supposed to do to make them feel better about a situation none of them had any control over.

“Of course we were?” Junmyeon replies, like it should be obvious and clear. “We talked a lot about if we should try looking for you before vacation.”

Minseok shrugs it off as best he can with a blush creeping up his cheeks. “I still had a good birthday, though. Thirty doesn’t look too bad on me, does it?”

And this time Jongdae is the one who chokes and almost spits out his drink while Junmyeon takes another piece of gyoza, placing it on Jongdae’s plate and then grabbing with his chopsticks another one for himself. He has a wiry smug smirk across his face.

“Jongdae was sure you were younger, maybe our age, but you’re older than both of us.” Junmyeon straightens himself taller.

“Hyung,” Jongdae lowly whines and it’s more endearing than Minseok wants to admit, the wiggly way Jongdae is embarrassed at guessing Minseok’s age incorrectly.

“I get that a lot,” Minseok replies and just happily watches Jongdae squirm and Junmyeon’s hand move from on top to underneath the table, and Jongdae becomes stiff and rigid only a moment later. Interesting, Minseok thinks. “How much younger?”

“I’ll be twenty-nine in May, Jongdae twenty-eight in September. You have time.” Junmyeon grins his reply, and Minseok makes a note to ask Jongdae for their actual birthdays.

“Not much older,” Minseok tilts his head to the side and watches Jongdae’s throat bob as he takes a large sip of his water.

The rest of Minseok’s time in Kyoto is spent casually with Jongdae and Junmyeon. They visit temples, and there's an abundance in Kyoto. They eat, and Minseok helps Jongdae direct mini photoshoots of Junmyeon in front of cherry blossoms, and the occasional loud wall.

When Junmyeon isn’t paying attention Jongdae whispers, “Back home he’s coordinated outfits to match,” and he sighs a wistful, sweet sigh.

But Minseok has to leave, he has other places he’s scheduled to visit and he’s staying a shorter time in Japan than them. He’s going to Tokyo, they’re headed south to Hiroshima. They’ve both taken to stealing the lightest of touches of Minseok, and each little touch is a zap up his spine, warming and solidifying.

Junmyeon and Minseok are sitting under a cherry blossom tree in Maruyama Park while Jongdae is off to get them food from one of the vendors. Minseok feels the faintest touches and glances down to see Junmyeon tugging on loose threads from the knee of Minseok’s ripped jeans. Junmyeon cocks his head to the side, in a study almost, a soft teasing smile. Minseok decides to be brave.

“What? What are you thinking about?”

“You,” Junmyeon answers, as if it’s obvious. Minseok continues to watch as Junmyeon’s fingers, small and nails pointed, scratch at his bent kneecap. “Do you believe in soulmates, Minseok?”

Minseok’s heartbeat jumps in his chest at the question. “I have to don’t I?” he says, but it’s hesitant, even Junmyeon can sense the hesitation in his voice. Minseok knows he’s waiting for him to continue, so he does. “I came to the conclusion that I didn’t have one or they… they weren’t here anymore. It’s not so uncommon, is it? So it was a lot when I first felt it, the pull. I was, well you witnessed it. I was really shocked to find there were two of you.” Junmyeon stops scratching at his knee and presses his first two fingers and slides them into the hole in his jeans towards his shin. Under other circumstances it would feel like a tease, but right now, for Minseok, it feels grounding.

Just like when he first met Junmyeon, how it was a way to stay pulled to earth and find his footing while everything else continued to spin.

“I’ve always liked my independence,” Minseok continues, “and I never thought I needed a soulmate to feel fulfillment. I still don’t,” he clarifies and meets Junmyeon’s gaze, his mouth in a tight pout, eyebrows drawn together, but he nods in agreement.

“It’s all so,” Junmyeon brandishes a hand, waving away something unseen, “I never believed in the concept the romantics go on about. A soul splitting and being reunited, two halves of a whole. First of all, I’m definitely just a single soul. Second, how would we account for you?” There’s a lilt to his voice, and now that he’s teasing the heat of his fingers pressing into his knee is more apparent than before.

“Obviously your own receptiveness to a soulmate contributes to it,” he continues. “It’s being able to share a wavelength with someone— multiple someone’s.” he corrects himself. A breeze comes through, petals falling from the trees like snow, and Minseok watches one quietly land in Junmyeon’s dark, parted hair. Beautiful Junmyeon. And Minseok thinks he could willingly and easily find a place for them both in his mind and in his heart.

“And soul bonds are just as special as others, don’t you think?” Minseok is startled at the voice behind him and jumps lightly. Junmyeon removes his fingers from his knee and Minseok turns to see Jongdae, holding three grilled ears of corn. It smells delicious.

“Yeah, I do.” Minseok agrees, takes his food from Jongdae, and takes a bite of corn.

Minseok brings the straw from his iced americano to his mouth for a sip. It’s satisfying and the chill is enough to cool himself down on this hot day. Kyungsoo is still making his way back to their table, uncontrollable puppy on a leash, and takes a sip of his own drink and despite the heat still wearing a dark pair of jeans. Minseok’s phone buzzes with a notification, and he’s usually good about not looking at his phone when with friends but he’s been waiting for a response, and Kyungsoo isn’t even sitting down yet, so he takes a glance.

It’s Junmyeon. Minseok opens the notification which brings him to the group message between himself, Junmyeon, and Jongdae. It’s a video, paused on Junmyeon’s face and Minseok doesn’t hesitate to press play just as Kyungsoo is sitting down. The volume is low, but Minseok is still able to hear a voice, distinctly Junmyeon’s, “Hiiii,” his pearly voice ringing like bells. “Minseokkie-hyung!” And that shout is from Jongdae, much louder than Junmyeon. Junmyeon switches the camera to Jongdae, who's in an olive-tone t-shirt, waving frantically at Minseok through the camera.

“He’s so loud,” comments Kyungsoo, taking another sip of his drink, legs crossed now at their table. Meokmul licks at Minseok’s ankles. It tickles. The video stops playing, that’s all it was. Short and utterly sweet. There’s text underneath,

call when you can~

“He’s very loud,” Minseok agrees and locks his phone. But it’s been weeks since they parted ways in Kyoto, almost two months, and it’s been nice, taking things slow. It turns out it would have been hard to find them with the pull if they went looking in Korea… They aren’t even in the same city as Minseok, at least an hours drive outside of Seoul. And that sucks, it’s not ideal, but it’s also been good being able to get to know them at their own pace. Even if sometimes Minseok feels out of his element, two soulmates who’ve known each other and bonded for so long. Living together while Minseok, their third, is away and alone.

“How is it going? Figuring out how to…” Kyungsoo hesitates on his words, “make it all work?”

They’ve been reassuring, through it all. “We’re trying to figure out a weekend that works out best for them to come visit,” Minseok divulges. “You know Junmyeon’s birthday just passed, and they wanted to come and spend it in the city. But I’m less worried about it now.”

“That's a good thing,” Kyungsoo says, smiles a reassuring smile that softens his face. He picks up Meokmul from underneath their table and holds him in his lap. He’s a good puppy, Kyungsoo and Chanyeol are lucky. “Being worried means you care enough and want to make it work.”

“No, you’re right,” Minseok says, "it wasn't what I anticipated. Two soulmates and a long distance relationship."

It felt like a lot, leaving them outside the Shinkansen platform as he headed north to Tokyo. But it wasn't really the end of anything, besides the end of their first encounter. It's only the beginning of everything. Minseok was brought to them by a pull, a bond that told him ‘I think this could work, and work really well.’ And it’s only after accepting that that they’ve been able to take the smallest steps towards their true beginning.

He quickly types up and sends off his own message:

looking forward to it :)